Feast of the Apostles
The Apostles have their own Feast Day
Feast of the Apostles are days set aside for feasting in honor of the 12 apostles of Jesus. The Feast of the Synaxis Apostles is referred to as the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles as it follows the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29.
In Orthodox liturgical practice, crucial feasts are observed through a further birthday party of a saint or saints related to the ceremonial dinner. For example, on January 6, we rejoice in the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany); on January 7, we rejoice in the Feast of St. John the Baptist. On March 25, we rejoice in the Feast of the Annunciation; on March 26, we rejoice in the Feast of the Archangel Gabriel.
These apostles observed Christ as He traveled and witnessed His several wonders. After the Ascension of Jesus, they persevered in His paintings of redeeming mankind from sin. In reality, on the Ascension, Jesus commanded the apostles to exit and make disciples of all international locations thru baptism and to train international locations in all that they’d found and all that He commanded of them. He enabled them to reach that he bestowed the Holy Spirit upon them (at Pentecost) as they traveled to remote lands.
The Feast Day of the Apostles Timeline
The timeline below shows the feast days celebrated by Western Christianity however we have also added Eastern Christianity and a few other important facts.
Saint James the Less
03 May – Roman Catholic Church
09 October – Eastern Orthodox Church
Saint Philip
03 May – Western Christianity
11 May – General Roman Calendar 1960
14 November – Eastern Christianity
Saint Matthias
14 May – (Roman Catholic Church, some places in Anglican Communion and Lutheran Church)
09 August – Eastern Orthodox Church
Saint Peter
Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter is celebrated on the 18th of January (Rome) and the 22nd of February (Antioch)
18 November – Memorial of the Dedication of the basilicas of St. Peter and of St. Paul
Saint Thomas
06 October – Sunday after Easter Thomas Sunday – Eastern Orthodox
21 December – Anglican Communion, Hispanic church
St James the Greater
25 July – Western Christianity
22 October – is commemorated by the Orthodox Church
30 December – Hispanic Church
Saint Batholomew
11 June – Eastern Christianity
Saint Matthew
16 November – Eastern Christianity
Saint Jude
19 June and 21 August Eastern Christianity
Saint Simon
19 June – Eastern Christianity
01 July (medieval Hispanic liturgy as attested by sources of the time, such as the Antiphonary of León)
Saint Andrew
Saint John
8 May and 26 September – Eastern Orthodox Church
From the start, the Apostles’ power inside the Church was apparent. Their abilities were bestowed on them by Christ Himself. They preached loudly and acted in His place, instructing and speaking “inside the Holy Spirit.” They have no equivalent within the Church’s reverence for them, with the exception of the Theotokos. They all have a remembrance day, and they have a joint celebration on June 30, a ceremonial banquet whose significance is demonstrated by the fact that its miles were preceded by a month of fasting.
The Apostles Fast
The Lenten season in honor of the 12 Apostles might be challenging at times since it is a “bendy season” in that it normally finishes on a fixed date (June 29) but begins on the Monday after All Saints Day, which is a moveable day every year mostly depends entirely on the date of Easter. When Easter is usually around mid to late April, Apostles Lent is just a few days longer. When Easter falls in early April, as it did this year, the Apostles’ Lent is extended.
The devoted are petitioned to look at the same old meals abstinence, multiplied prayer, and almsgiving guiding principle as with the opposite fasting seasons of the yr. The Apostles Lent tastes the primary part of the Christmas Advent Lenten season (Nov 15-Dec 12) in that weddings are permitted. The guiding principle on constrained meals is the “lighter” fasting in that most effective Wednesdays and Fridays are held as strict rapid days, and the observance of the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24) is usually a mild rapid (fish is permitted) regardless of what day it falls on.
Let us have fun within the ministry and learn about the feast of the apostles, those 12 awesome men who started the unfolding of Christianity to some distant corners of the earth. Let us bear in mind their sacrifice through our sacrifice and area in the preparatory days beforehand. We’re referred to as upon to attention on their dedication and devotion to the Lord’s commandments.
Feast day of Saint James the Greater
30 April; Eastern Christianity
25 July; Western Christianity
James, son of Zebedee (died 44 AD), was one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles and is often regarded as the first to be murdered. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, as well as the brother of John the Apostle. To distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, and James, Jesus’ brother, he is sometimes known as James the Greater or James the Great (James the Just). James, the son of Zebedee, is the patron saint of Spaniards and is sometimes referred to as Santiago.
Feast day of Saint Simon
19 Jun; Eastern Christianity
28 Oct; Western Christianity
Simon the Zealot (Acts 1:13), Simon the Zealot (Luke 6:15), Simon Kananaios (Matthew 10:4), or Simon Cananeus (Mark 3:18) was one of Jesus’ most obscure apostles. Simon is frequently identified with St. Jude as an evangelistic pair; they share their feast day on October 28 in Western Christianity. According to popular belief, after preaching in Egypt, Simon joined Jude in Persia, Armenia, or Beirut, Lebanon, where both were murdered in 65 AD.
Feast day of Saint Peter
29th June; Eastern Christianity
01 August; Western Christianity
Formerly known as “Simon,” Our Lord called him “Kepha” or “Cephas”; preached in Antioch, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Asia Minor, Rome; headed the Roman Church (was the first Pope); martyred upside-down in Rome, Italy; relics at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Symbols include the Keys, an upside-down Latin Cross, and a book. June 29 (St. Paul’s Feast); August 1 (St. Peter’s Chains).
Feast day of Saint John
08 May; Eastern Christianity
27 December; Western Christianity
He and his brother (James the Greater) were dubbed “Sons of Thunder” (Boanerges) by Jesus, a son of Zebedee; Jesus’ favorite disciple; evangelist; who preached in Asia Minor (Ephesus). The symbol of St. John includes a chalice, an eagle, a serpent, a sword, and a cauldron.
Feast day of Saint Jude
19 June & 21 August; Eastern Christianity
28 October; Western Christianity
Jude was one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles, also known as Judas Thaddaeus. He is commonly recognized as Thaddeus, although he is also known as Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus, or Lebbaeus. He is commonly confused with Jesus’ brother Jude, although he is distinct from Judas Iscariot, the Apostle who betrayed Jesus before His execution. Saint Jude was murdered at Beirut, in the Roman province of Syria, in 65 AD, along with the Apostle Simon the Zealot, with whom he is commonly identified. The ax he is commonly represented within photos reflects the method by which he was murdered.
Their acts and martyrdom, according to the Golden Legend account of the saints, were recorded in an Acts of Simon and Jude, which was among the collection of passions and legends traditionally associated with the legendary Abdias, bishop of Babylon, and said to have been translated into Latin by his disciple Tropaeus Africanus. Pilgrims came to his tomb to pray after his martyrdom, and many of them experienced St. Jude’s great intercessions. As a result, he is known as ‘The Saint for the Hopeless and the Despaired.’ St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Bernard both had visions from God requesting that they embrace St. Jude as ‘The Patron Saint of the Impossible.’
The Order of Preachers (usually known as the Dominicans) began operating in modern-day Armenia soon after its foundation in 1216. Saint Jude was revered by both Catholic and Orthodox Christians in the area. This lasted until the 18th century when persecution drove Christians out of the region. Devotion to Saint Jude resurfaced in earnest in the nineteenth century, first in Italy and Spain, then to South America, and eventually to the United States (beginning in the Chicago region) thanks to the Claretians and Dominicans’ influence in the 1920s.
Feast day of Saint Bartholomew
11th June; Eastern Christianity
24 August; Western Christianity
Saint Bartholomew preached in India, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Armenia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, shores of the Black Sea. He was beheaded or flayed alive and crucified, head downward in Albanopolis in Armenia; relics at St. Bartholomew-in-the-Island in Rome, Italy. Symbols: Tanner’s knife; flayed skin.
Feast day of Saint Matthias
24 February; (in leap years 25 February) (pre-1970 General Roman Calendar, Western Rite Orthodoxy, Anglican Communion, Episcopal Church, some places in Lutheran Church)
14 May; Roman Catholic Church, Anglian Communion and Lutheran Church)
09 August; Eastern Christianity
The disciples remained in prayer for nine days between Jesus’ ascension and the Day of Pentecost. During this time, Peter reminded them that Judas’ desertion and death had left a hole in the company of the Twelve. Peter suggested to the assembled disciples that they chose two people to replace Judas. They picked Joseph, also known as Barabbas (surnamed Justus), and Matthias. According to Acts, Matthias was with Jesus from his baptism by John until his ascension. The disciples prayed, then cast lots, and the apostle Matthias‘ lot was drawn. Thus, he became one of the eleven apostles.
There is no mention of Matthias in the three synoptic gospels’ lists of Jesus’ disciples or followers. He was an outstanding Apostle, according to tradition, but we know little else about him.
Saint Matthias seems an appropriate example to Christians of one whose faithful companionship with Jesus qualifies him to be a suitable witness to the resurrection and whose service is unheralded and unsung.
Feast day of Saint James the Less
11 May; Western Christianity
09 August; Eastern Christianity
“James the Just” or “James the Younger”; son of Alphaeus (Cleophas) and “brother of the Lord”; Bishop of Jerusalem Church; epistle writer; killed by Jews by being thrown off the Temple and clubbed to death. Symbols: fuller’s club; book; windmill.
Feast day of Saint Philip
11 May; Western Christianity
09 October; Eastern Christianity
Saint Philip preached in Hierapolis in Asia and had his relics at the Church of the Dodici Apostoli in Rome, Italy. The symbol of St. Philip is a basket of loaves and a T-shaped Cross.
Feast day of Saint Matthew
21 September; Western Christianity
16 November; Eastern Christianity
The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches consider Matthew a saint. In the West, his feast day is commemorated on September 21. Matthew was the son of Alpheus, a 1st-century Galilean (born in Galilee, which was not part of Judea). He would have been fluent in Aramaic and Greek as a tax collector. His Jewish contemporaries would have despised him for apparently cooperating with the Roman invaders.
Matthew welcomed Jesus to his house for a feast after receiving his call. The Scribes and Pharisees were outraged when they observed Jesus dining with tax collectors and sinners. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance,” Jesus said. Luke 5:32 (Matthew 2:17) According to the New Testament, he was a follower of Jesus who witnessed his resurrection and ascension. The disciples then fled to a higher room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:10–14). The disciples remained in and around Jerusalem, declaring that Jesus was the Messiah who had been prophesied.
Feast day of Saint Thomas
03 July; Eastern Christianity
21 December; Western Christianity
According to the New Testament, Thomas the Apostle was one of Jesus Christ’s Twelve Apostles. He is known colloquially as Doubting Thomas because he initially doubted Jesus’ resurrection, followed by his profession of Faith, “My Lord and my God,” upon seeing Jesus’ injured body.
He has customarily traveled outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel, traveling as far as Tamilakam, India’s Tamil Nadu, and Kerala states. Thomas landed in Muziris around 50 CE (modern-day North Paravur and Kodungalloor in Kerala, India). He baptized many individuals, giving rise to the Saint Thomas Christians, also known as the Mar Thomas Nazranis.
Following his death, the purported remains of Saint Thomas the Apostle were interred as far as Mesopotamia in the 3rd century and were later relocated to numerous locations. Some of the relics were carried to Abruzzo in Ortona, Italy, in 1258 and have since been housed at the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle. He is often regarded as the Patron Saint of India.
Feast day of Saint Andrew
30 November; Western Christianity
13 December; Eastern Christianity
St. Andrew was born in Bethsaida, Galilee, and worked as a fisherman before becoming a follower of John the Baptist. He brought Jesus to his brother Peter, stating, “We have discovered the Messiah.” Despite being overshadowed by his brother from then on, Andrew emerges as a soul-winner in the Gospels. After Pentecost, Andrew took up the apostolate on a much wider scale, and he is said to have been crucified on an “X”-shaped cross in Patras, southern Greece. This type of cross has been known as “St. Andrew’s Cross” for centuries.
Judas Iscariot
The name “Judas” is a Greek version of the Hebrew name Judah (Hebrew for “God is honored”), which was a very popular name for Jewish males in the first century AD because of the famous figure Judas Maccabeus. [As a result, there are countless more persons with this name listed throughout the New Testament. Judas Iscariot is the sole Apostle called “Judas” in the Gospel of Mark 3:13–19, the oldest of all the gospels, published in the mid-60s or early 70s AD. Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord and subsequently committed suicide, according to reports. Matthias (St. Matthias’s Feast day, February 24th) took his position when he committed suicide.
Conclusion Feast of the Apostles
The Synaxis of Christ’s Glorious and All-Praiseworthy Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ appears to be an early Feast. The Church remembers each of the Twelve Apostles at different times throughout the year and has created a general remembrance for all of them on the day after the commemoration of the Glorious and First-Ranked among the Apostles Peter and Paul.
Each of the Twelve is commemorated on a different day of the Church calendar. However, in her wisdom, the Church also instituted a communal remembrance of the Twelve Holy Apostles. This is due to the Twelve Apostles fulfilling the Lord’s commission to “Go… make disciples of all countries, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Resources Feast of the Apostles
https://www.goarch.org/-/feast-of-the-twelve-apostles?inheritRedirect=true
https://stgeorge.org/2021/06/feast-of-the-synaxis-of-the-holy-apostles/
https://www.saint.gr/827/saint.aspx